We are here to play ‘Questions with Kayla!’ Where we get to know Kayla Graham, a Blue Tide swimmer who has been rocking the pool with her effort, and all that she puts into the pool day in and day out. First category: Swim meets. Tell us Kayla, what has been your favorite meet this season? “My favorite meet is the travel meet we do each year, because it is fun spending time with my team members.” How do you best prepare for competition? “Before swim meets I try not to get nervous about the events I am going to swim, and I get a lot of sleep the night before.” Good advice! Get excited, and stay calm! Next category: Swimming! What are your favorite events to swim? “My favorite events to swim are 50 free and 100 fly. The 50 free because I love sprinting rather than distance, and the 100 fly because it is probably my best event and I like to swim it.” What do you feel is the most challenging part about the sport of swimming? “The most challenging part about swimming is not improving on an event after months of hard work towards it, but you have to get past it and keep working to drop time.” Learn from each event you do, even if it doesn’t go as planned. Very true. Just remember, you’ve put in the work, and the only one standing in your way is you. Never doubt your abilities! Let’s talk goals. What goals have you set for this season, and how will you achieve it? “One of my goals is to make sectionals in the 100 fly. I need to work on my butterfly and my turns in practice a lot, and not worry too much before I swim it at upcoming meets.” Train the way you want to race, and you will race the way you train. It all comes together in the end. Next category: Team! What are some things you like about being on Blue Wave? “I have been on the team since I was really young, so I have been able to make a lot of friends on the team.” And what is something your teammates might not know about you? “I have Czech Republic heritage.” Velmi zajímavé! Historie je důležité! Next category: Personality! What is your favorite food Kayla? “Spaghetti!” Pasta: the food of swimmers! What activities do you like to do when you are not swimming? “I like to hang out with my friends when I’m not at practice.” Relationships are an important part of life. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? “I would be a dog because they are friendly and always there for you.” Dogs are indeed very loyal. As a member of the team for so long, we are very happy for you, and value your loyalty and dedication! Next category: Hopes and dreams! If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? “I would go on vacation with my friends and family!” Perhaps visit the Czech Republic? And then the Bahamas of course. What accomplishments are you most proud of, outside swimming? “I am proud of my grades in school.” And so you should be! Keep working for them! Well, this has been ‘Questions with Kayla,’ Thank you Kayla for joining us, and congratulations on being a Blue Wave Swimmer of the Month! We will see you at the pool! Best of luck with your goals!! #SOTMKayla
Christina Yang (GREEN Crest 2)
Christina Yang, a young swimmer making her way to international fame, has graciously given us some of her time for some questions. This has been a difficult task to accomplish, as Christina is a very busy person. She has been working on developing her own late night talk show, “The Later than Late Show with Christina Yang.” Or so that’s the rumor going around the pool. When she’s here swimming with us, she is someone who can always be counted on to give her best, and her improvement in practice has shown because of it. She is not only a funny person, but brings a positive vibe of energy with her when training gets tough. So let’s get to know her! Hello Christina, it’s wonderful to have you here on the team with us! Tell us, tell the world, we want to know, what is a goal you have set for yourself in your swimming this year? “One of the goals that I have this year is to get an A time in the 200 IM, and I will achieve that goal by asking the coach to help with my technique.” A sound goal, one should always be looking for new ways to learn and become better. What do you think is the most challenging part about being a swimmer? “The most challenging part about being a swimmer, for me, is dedication. Sometimes I feel lazy and just don’t want to go to practice, but when I get there all the laziness is blown away and is filled with joy and laughter. It doesn’t matter how hard the set is, all I know is that deep down inside this set is going to help me improve.” Fantastic! What events do you like to swim? Do you have a particular favorite that fills you with joy and laughter? “One of my favorite events must be the 200 IM, because it is long distance, and I honestly don’t get tired very easily. I also like that the 200 IM has all the strokes, so that if I am not very good at one stroke, I can revive myself with another stroke. Also, when I swim this stroke it kind of gives me confidence, but in a very weird way.” Very weird you say? Well, you will have to expand upon that later. For a lot of swimmers I know, the more you swim an event, the more experience you gain in it, and therefore you become more confident. What has been your favorite meet this year? “My favorite meet was Turkey Claus, because I went to finals and that made me feel that I have been underestimating myself and I can improve if I set my mind to it.” Very true! You never know what you can accomplish till you try! How do you prepare for meets? Do you have any special routines that get you pumped up? “I pack my bag, with a towel, my swimsuit, a couple of snack bars, goggles, cap, and my phone. Besides packing my swim bag, I am very careful about what I eat too, like once my mom ordered pizza the day before the meet and I decided to eat pasta instead.” So you’re saying that the secret to your speed is making healthy choices? Very interesting! I think we all can learn from that. Now we all know you enjoy seeing the humor in life. What do you enjoy about being part of Blue Wave? “I like how the coaches don’t give me such a hard time about being late to practice. Whenever I am late (which is most of the time), the coaches always understand. What I also like about Blue Wave is the holiday sets because they’re special and fun most of the time.” Well, just imagine how well you would swim if you came on time! Maybe your next goal will be punctuality, as well as an A time! Can you tell us something your teammates might not know about you? “Something my teammates don’t know about me is that I am actually very smart, I just play dumb to make them laugh and we all have a fun time.” Ah Christina, forever finding the humor. Your talk show is going to be a hit. Let’s hear more about you! What is your favorite food? “Sushi, because it tastes really good.” And it’s a healthy choice! If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money? “The first thing I would do if I won the lottery would be to save it in my bank account.” What kind of activities do you do outside of swimming? “I like to play soccer and basketball.” Way to stay active! Here’s a tough question: If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? “I would be a monkey, because it is the most similar to being a human, except that I can climb my way to places instead of walking.” So you don’t like walking, but you prefer to be human. Makes sense to me! Final question: What accomplishments are you most proud of outside of swimming? “I am very proud of my presidential award for academic excellence.” As you should be! Well congratulations Christina! Keep making Blue Wave proud in and out of the pool! And congrats on being a Blue Wave Swimmer of the Month! #SOTMChristina
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